Grading My John Muir Trail Thru-Hike Gear Choices: Sleeping Pad

This week I’m continuing to evaluate the gear choices I made during this year’s John Muir Trail thru-hike, which culminated on September 12th. I wrote a little about that hike a couple of weeks ago, and discussed my choice for sleeping bag last week. (If you check out last week’s post, be sure to look at the comments. There were lots of good ideas offered.)

This week: the sleeping pad.

Note the larger tubes on the outside of this Big Agnes Air Core sleeping pad. They ensured I never rolled off during my frequent turning from side to side.

As I stated last week, a good night’s sleep isn’t optional as far as I’m concerned. You are not going to see me recommend anything that isn’t thick and comfortable. I’m willing to spend some money to shave ounces, but I’m not willing to sleep on a foam pad—not at age fifty-eight!

During my first JMT thru-hike, a few years back, I carried a Therm-o-rest NeoAir that checked in (with stuff sack and repair kit) at slightly less than a pound. It was thick, warm, light, comfortable, and, unfortunately, prone to leaks. The first couple of holes I was able to find and repair, but the last one I never could. During the last few days of the hike, by 4:00 a.m., I was sleeping on a completely deflated pad.

It was also loud, and I turn frequently at night.

This year I started out with an old sleeping pad I had used before: a Pacific Outdoor Cruiser Mountain, which weighed thirty-four ounces. This is a self-inflating bag that took up a lot of space. While I was acclimatizing to the elevation (at Mammoth Lakes) for a few days before the hike, I gradually convinced myself that it was too bulky and too heavy.

At one of the many outdoor shops in Mammoth, I bought a Big Agnes Air Core insulated pad that shaved a couple of ounces off the weight, was about an inch thicker, and, when deflated, took up very little space.

I was very happy with the performance of the pad. It never developed a leak, did a great job keeping the cold from the ground at bay, and it was comfy, comfy. In fact, I was so impressed with the Big Agnes product, that I am considering buying another for my next hike: the Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core Superlight.

The Q-Core I am considering is twenty-three ounces, nine ounces less than the Air Core.

A couple of more thoughts: another way to reduce weight is to carry a torso-only inflatable pad, and a short foam pad for one’s legs. I may consider that.

Now that I’ve shaved half-a-pound off my pad weight, I may actually add 2.3 ounces back and carry one of these. A fellow hiker (thanks, Dale!) allowed me to try his and, I have to admit, it was pretty neat. By the way, it fit perfectly on my Big Agnes pad.

Weight savings: 9 ounces.

Grade for my choice this trip: B. (I would have given myself an “A” if I had bought the Q-Core in the first place!)

17 Comments

Brian ROctober 15, 2013 at 6:03 am

My Exped SynMat 7 LW (long wide) was very comfortable and lightweight (21 oz) this summer on the JMT. However, it a was also a bit noisy, a little too long (77.5 inches) for my tent and a little too slippery against the floor of the tent on anything other than perfectly flat tent sites. Despite the negatives, it’s a keeper. The 2 oz. companion hand pump was a nice luxury item at the end the day.

I’m with you on adding a little extra weight for a good night’s sleep. I carry a 3/4 length BA Air Core and use my emptied pack under my legs at night. It might not be pleasant for someone who is very tall but it works great for my 5.5-ft frame.

Hey Ray, I chimed in last week on sleeping bag choices, mine is the Feathered Friends 20 degree bag at 1lb15oz. My sleeping pad is the Exped SynMat 7 Reg at 15oz. It’s 72inches long and seeing how I’m 5’4 it’s awsome I sleep like a baby. I also carry a piece of Tyvec for my ground sheet to protect the air pad from being punctured. I’ve never had a problem with leaks. The Tyvec weighs next to nothing.

I’ve recently picked up the Klymit Static V sleeping pad. Super comfy – especially for something that packs that small – though I don’t know yet how durable it will be. As I mentioned on the sleeping bag discussion, I plan to stretch a space blanket under it (since I usually carry one as part of my emergency kit anyway) so hopefully that may help with not only heat dispersal but also punctures…though Steven’s idea of Tyvec is inspired.

My husband and I used last year’s model of the Big Agnes Q-Core this year on the JMT. I loved this sleeping pad. It was very very comfortable. My husband had two complaints. The biggest complaint is how noisy it is, when you have more than one person turning over in the tent at night. I kept waking him up when I turned over. It was a bit noisy, but it didn’t bother me. The comfort outweighed this issue for me.

I don’t know, Ray. I thought I was set with the Exped Synmat UL 7 (Regular, 16.2 oz) which I bought a little over a year ago, took on several trips, and loved. But then on my last overnight before the JMT this July – about 10 days before my JMT start – the Exped developed a leak and went flat. (I still haven’t found the leak, and I’m not even sure if it’s a leak or something to do with the baffles.) When that happened I lost all my trust in air pads and quickly bought a foam pad (the RidgeRest Solite Regular, 14 oz.) and augmented that with a 1/8″ Gossamer Gear Thinlight Insulation Pad (2,4-2.8 oz.) So the weight of those two pads together was about equivalent to the weight of the Exped (and they were durable enough to use outside the tent as well as for sleeping).

I’m 70. I was out only 8 days, but my sleeping pad was not the reason I bailed. It was tough sleeping on it the first night after being used to the cushioning of the air pad, but from the second night on I didn’t have a problem – maybe I was just exhausted enough not to care. I did really appreciate not having to worry about leaks and not having to do anything to set up my pad except unroll it and lay it out.

You’re right, Gail. There is a risk whenever you have an inflatable pad. I guess I just have more faith in technology than most (faith which has proven to be misplaced on more than one occasion!) Thanks for the comment!

Hi Ray, I too am 58 and comfort is a priority! I finally broke down and purchased a Thermarest NeoAir XLite back in 2012 and it has not failed me for two seasons totally around 40 nights in the bag. My rule is that I never take it out of the stuff sack outside of my tent. It is somewhat noisy though. Although it never bothers me, people do complain if my tent is right next to them but they also complain about snoring in that scenario too! This pad weighs 13 oz including the stuff sack and it’s the most comfortable pad I’ve ever used.

Thanks, Larry. You’re experience is not unusual. Some folks seem to have no problems at all and others have the same experience I did. I’m not sure if it’s matter of different handling or if some are just “lemons”.

hi Ray! Another nearly 60, need-my-sleeping-comfort person here! I used to use the NeoAir and never had problems, but this year I “graduated” to a NeoAir Trekker. It is made from slightly thicker fabric and is supposed to be more durable than the original yellow-green models. The thing I REALLY love is that mine is 25″ wide (I got the “large torso” size, 25″ x 47″). I don’t need a full-length pad, there is generally something like my pack or a jacket to put my feet on. Even though I’m not a large torso person, I LOVE the extra width. With a 20″ pad, I always feel perched, like I might fall off the side when I turn over. This is never a problem with those extra 5″ – I found it simply luxurious! Weighs in at 16 oz. I gave myself an A+ on this item!